The University of Illinois Summer Band will present its annual summer concert series on the Quad on Thursday, June 23, and Thursday, July 21, both at 7 p.m. The performances are free, and attendees are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets.
According to Director of Bands Stephen Peterson, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has the oldest college summer band program in the nation. Now entering its 106th year, the band comprises approximately 80 students and local community members.
Peterson will conduct the June 23 performance. Musical selections will include “My Fair Lady,” “English Folk Song Suite,” “Illinois Loyalty,” works by Percy Grainger and Leonard Bernstein, and a couple of marches.
The July 21 concert will be conducted by Lt. Kelly Cartwright, a United States Navy Band conductor who is completing her master’s degree in conducting at the U of I. Joining her will be conducting doctoral student Joe Busuito. Together, they will lead the band in a “Sound of Music” medley, “Civil War Fantasy,” “Armenian Dances,” “The U.S. Armed Forces Medley” and some marches.
According to Peterson, the summer band concert series is a great way for the community to enjoy the campus in a relaxed setting. “This is one of the many ways in which we reach out to the community,” Peterson says. “It’s lighter fare, a lot of fun and a longtime tradition.”
